In a disturbing reveal, Hilarie Burton shared on her “Drama Queens” podcast on March 28 why she always attempted to hide her feet during love scenes on “One Tree Hill.” Per the New York Post, Burton noted that after Season 2’s “Somewhere a Clock Is Ticking” (in which her character Peyton has on-screen relations with her boyfriend Jake) aired, she received frightening prison “fan mail.” As she recalled, “There was a couple dudes in particular that were like, ‘I’m gonna cut your feet off and put them in my refrigerator.'”
The episode’s director Billy Dickson was adamant about showcasing “our feet and like our legs rubbing together,” according to Burton, and she ultimately acquiesced. “It’s so much harder to say ‘no’ to someone who you like and respect than it is to say it to a total stranger who’s just coming in to direct for 10 days,” she said. Furthermore, despite the crew reportedly reassuring Burton that her feet would be blurred in post-production, the episode showed them loud and clear.
The “OTH” drama isn’s the first time Burton has experienced sexual discomfort at a workplace. A video resurfaced in 2017 of Ben Affleck groping Burton’s left breast during a MTV “TRL” segment. CNN, which re-published the clip, also showed old commentary from Burton describing her immediate reaction. “I’d rather have a high-five,” Burton quipped dryly. (Affleck tweeted an apology at the time for “inappropriately” touching Burton.)
If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit RAINN.org for additional resources.
Nicki
